Ice Melts
by ayyjo
Summary: remake of sun's ice; hints of romance, lots of sarcasm and adventuring felines may include WC characters, but some OCs


**when things happen, other things happen after that**

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The sky was just beginning to turn its dusky hues of purple and red and pink while thin clouds scudded lazily across its canvas. It was humid for a Newleaf, an unexpected turn in the weather that had become the norm over the passing days. Along with the changing of the leaves came many others, and in the case of one particular Clan, Newleaf had brought with it new warriors.

In the gathered huddle of cats that made up Iceclan, two were made to be named warriors that day. Kestrelpaw sat with her feeling jumbled, pride and anxiety being the most potent. Sure that her mentor who sat beside could smell it, she shifted, forcing herself to sit ramrod straight with auds pricked forward. Her brother, Galepaw, was being received before her, and she watched with a twinge of pride- and envy for he seemed as lax as a worm standing before their leader. A quick sweep of the gathering and she could find her mother, Shrubbloom, leaking as much pride as she felt.

A nudge on her shoulder had her whipping her head back towards her mentor, whose amber eyes were deep set in a face of wiry fur.

"_Pay attention."_

Blinking her eyes wide she murmured an affirmative before her gaze found the two before them all once more.

"-and so with these cats as my witness, I name you Galeclaw. May Starclan light your path as they grant you a long life of protecting the clan- put that pride of yours to use in doing so."

"Galeclaw, Galeclaw!" The name rolled through the gathered cats like thunder, and Kestrelpaw could do nothing but hope her name was taken into them as her brother's was.

In her musings, she almost didn't catch her own name being uttered by Cloverstar. Leafy green moons met hers and she blinked not for the first time, jerking to her paws not ungracefully. Moving forward, she worked to imitate the air that Galeclaw had held. Pausing only a squirrel length away from her leader, she dared to look into her eyes.

"Kestrelpaw-"

From this distance she could just see the muscle that rippled beneath the older she-cats tortoiseshell pelt that appeared like down. It was a very deceiving appearance, and she hoped that one day she could appear just as capable.

"-Your mentor has shared with me that you have been a hard working apprentice, excluding the daydreaming he mentioned you were prone to…"

There was a slight pause in which the clan was allowed a few uttered mews of amusements to which Kestrelpaw shuffled her paws in slight embarrassment. Need such a thing be mentioned? She thought the point to be made was of her shining behavior, outstanding qualities!

Seeming to weigh her next few words, Cloverstar continued, her smooth voice ringing out;

"Do you swear to always follow the warrior code and protect your clanmates even at the cost of your own life?"

Without pause she answered with an affirmative.

"Dare I suspect a tactician in our midst? If so, I'll grace her with the name most fitting. With these cats as my witness I name you Kestrelsong. May Starclan light your path as you and your brother and all those to come light ours."

"_Kestrelsong, Kestrelsong!_"

The sound filled her with a bubbling and happy feeling and before she moved away from her leader, she uttered a "thank-you" that she doubted was heard over the din. She moved towards her mentor who sat watching her rather proudly with a tail wrapped neatly around his paws.

"Sagecla-" She blurted, unsure of what she meant to say first in her rush of new adrenaline.

"I'm proud of you, Kestrelsong," he must have caught on, for he interrupted her while putting stress on her new suffix. "And I've no doubt that you'll be an honorable warrior. You were a decent apprentice."

"You were an _okay _mentor, I guess." There was no hiding the amusement in her mew and so she didn't try. "But I'll miss you, really."

"I'm not _dying_, fuzz-brain. It's not impossible that we won't be patrolling or hunting together either." Although his tone was of mock annoyance, the older tom's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Now why are you still over here dallying? You have more important cats to talk to!"

He flicked his tail in dismissal and she skedaddled, her mood only made better by the light banter. What had she been worrying about? That her clan wouldn't accept her? Her mother was in fact waiting for her it seemed, as was her brother who appeared to be keeping a safe distance from her chronic grooming tendencies.

"Kestrelsong!" Shrubbloom piped, her brown tail wriggled before settling at her paws, "You and your brother- you both…I'm _so_…"

"Proud, we know." Galeclaw rumbled lightly, his ear twitching as he shared a gaze with Kestrelsong. They both understood the emotional swings that their mother sometimes endured. "We can't stay with you for long, mother. The vigil will begin as soon as the camp is clear."

The speckled she made a noise of agreement, her eyes meeting both of her kits alternatively. Suddenly her amber gaze turned serious and she uttered quietly, "I'm sure your father would be proud. I know he would be."

Moving closer to her mother, she butted her head against her side gently before risking Galeclaw a glance, who watched them both with a noticeable air of uneasy. "Let's get over there then, Gale'," She murmured, her pet-name for her sibling rolling off easily.

She moved away from her mother and towards her brother, towards the camp entrance. She spotted a dark tabby pelt and looked away just as quickly as she had spotted it, sure that if she gazed for too long he would surely notice. Slanting a look at her brother, she was relieved to find that he had not noticed.

He'd settled himself just in front of the entrance, back on his haunches. She mimicked him, end of her tail twitching at intervals as the sky gradually lost its streaks and solidified into a dark pelt interlaced with the twinkling lights of Starclan.

Gradually it became colder, the humidity that had been of earlier in the day giving way to the feel of Leaf-fall. Wishing silently that she could sink into her creamy fur, Kestrelsong threw her brother Galeclaw a sidelong look. He must have planned to do the same, for they locked eyes, but all he offered her was the twitch of an ear.

Releasing a loud exhale through her nose that she could have sworn was turning blue, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd already broken her vigil by exhaling in such a way that the noise was audible. Slightly amused by the thought, she let her gaze sweep the quiet encampment.

The oath that all warriors agreed to weighed heavily, she realized. It may have been the one big decision she was ever made to take part in and have full authority to say yes or no to. Even so, she couldn't say that she regretted it, and so she _would_ protect her clan with her life if need be.

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**dang flabbit i barely remember this series- ****ok so there goes the remake of chapter 1 found beloo v**

s/6210032/1/Sun-s-Ice

**(the original is totally not interesting or worth your time haha)**

**i hope its obvi enough whos who if you do bother looking back 2 & from**


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